Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner parties after missing out on Mercury Prize | Daily Mail Online Share this article Share His outfit paled into insignificance next to his drummer Matt Helder's outrageous trousers though. His cream-tapered chinos were covered in a wacky print of dancing figurines. Alex looked deep in thought as he left the left the Soho venue early on Thursday morning and seemingly a little worse for wear, he struck up a couple of mean and moody poses for waiting photographers. Taxi! Alex and his pals finally call it a night after partying at celebrity haunt, the Groucho Club At least the Sheffield quartet can console themselves with the fact that despite their loss this week, they have won the Mercury Prize once before and have made the list three times in total. In 2006, their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not beat the likes of Hot Chip, Muse and Thom Yorke and they are still considered to be one of Britain's biggest rock bands. The group are currently busy promoting their new single One For The Road.

This year, the competition was incredibly fierce with Bowie's recent album, The Next Day, on the list, as well as newcomer Laura Mvula's debut album, Sing Me To The Moon. Prints charming: Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders wore an interesting pair of patterned trousers for his night out Blake, 25, beat bookies favourite Laura Mvula. The musician, whose father was a member of the band Colosseum, produced his second album himself and it features contributions from Brian Eno and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan. After scooping the award, he said: 'I'm going to thank my parents for showing me the importance of being self-sufficient and also to Ben, Rob and Dan for showing me the importance of letting people help you. Thanks.' When asked if he had thought he was going to win, Blake replied: 'Absolutely not. I had convinced myself that it was going to be a second year of being nominated but not winning.' Suits you, sir!

The singer wore a 50s inspired dog-tooth suit and loafers for his night out Full of hope: (Left to right) Nick O'Malley, Alex Turner, Jamie Cook and Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys arrive at the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize ceremony at the Roundhouse, Camden on Wednesday night Congratulations: James Blake poses after winning the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize at the Roundhouse, Camden Inclusion on the nominations shortlist usually ensures an instant boost in sales for artists, who hope to emulate last year’s winner Alt-J who triumphed with debut An Awesome Wave. It was drawn from 220 albums submitted to the judging panel. Other winners over the years have included Elbow, Klaxons and two-time winner PJ Harvey. The £20,000 prize is open to British and Irish acts and aims to reward the best album of the year.

Chairman of the judging panel Simon Frith said: 'This year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize shortlist celebrates a fascinating year, marked by a wonderful range of musical voices - urgent, reflective, upbeat and tender, acoustic and electronic, and all with something intriguing to say.' Elsewhere, the likes of Caroline Flack, Kaya Scodelario, Peaches Geldof and Mercury Prize winner James Blake were spotted hanging out in the Barclaycard Unwind Backstage Bar. Dressed to impress: Caroline Flack looked cute in a quirky tuxedo motif and penguin-print minidress as she hung out in the Barclaycard Unwind Backstage Bar Date night: Peaches Geldof and her husband Thomas Cohen cuddled up for a cosy snap in the Barcalycard Unwind Backstage Bar Champion!

James Blake toasted winning the coveted music prize bu chilling out in the Barclaycard Unwind Backstage Bar Mercury Prize: James Blake wins with Overgrown - BBC News BBC News Mercury Prize: James Blake wins with Overgrown By Mark Savage BBC News entertainment reporter 31 October 2013 From the section Entertainment & Arts comments Close share panel Media captionLauren Laverne announces the winner of this year's prize Electronic artist James Blake has won this year's Barclaycard Mercury Prize with his second album, Overgrown. "Well, I lost the bet," Blake said after beating bookies' favourite Laura Mvula and stars like David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys to the £20,000 prize. Judges called his record "inventive, poetic and poignant", adding "James Blake makes music like no-one else". The Mercury Prize, for the best British or Irish album of the year, was handed out at the Roundhouse in north London. Media captionMercury Prize winner James Blake's video for Retrograde, the first single from his album Overgrown In a brief acceptance speech, Blake thanked his parents "for showing me the importance of being self-sufficient".

Speaking backstage, the 25-year-old said he felt "jubilant and confused". "This is the first award I've ever won apart from a tennis trophy I won when I was 12," he said. Blake's album Overgrown , which was released in April, got to number eight in the UK chart. Asked how it felt to beat Bowie, he replied: "I don't think I beat him. "A lot of people do their best work when they're young - and it's always disappointing when they don't keep going and don't keep innovating. So David Bowie's an inspiration to people like me." He added: "I feel like I deserved it as much as anyone else did." The singer-songwriter had previously been nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2011 for his self-titled debut album. Media captionJames Blake talks to Newsnight about his winning album Muted reaction A classically-trained pianist who studied popular music at Goldsmiths University, Blake emerged from the dubstep scene. But his cerebral, ambient compositions have little to do with the genre he has since dismissed as "testosterone-driven" and "macho". However, reaction to his win was muted.

Many in the audience had expected soul newcomer Laura Mvula to take the prize, for her inventive, heartfelt album Sing To The Moon. There was also strong support for Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys, whose fifth album, AM, has received across-the-board praise from critics. The band, who won the Mercury for their debut in 2006, said they did not expect to win. Frontman Alex Turner added that the prize was a "huge accolade", which can help "artists at different stages of their careers". Mvula was happy with the result, telling the BBC "the nomination itself felt like an award". "I feel like the new girl," she added. "I don't feel like I deserve anything." Dance acts Disclosure and Rudimental, as well as Nottingham teenager Jake Bugg, were also on the shortlist. Folk band Villagers, female punk group Savages, Oxford rockers Foals and dance musician Jon Hopkins rounded off the 12 nominees. Most of the artists took to the stage to perform a track from their shortlisted albums, but David Bowie and Laura Marling did not attend.

Both sent specially recorded videos, and Bowie's self-shot film of the song Love is Lost cost just $12.99 (£8) to make - the price of the USB stick he bought to send out the finished clip. Unpredictable Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize has been won by albums such as Pulp's Different Class and Primal Scream's Screamadelica. But the judges, who remain anonymous until after the prize-giving ceremony, can be unpredictable. In 2009 the prize went to little-known rap artist Speech Debelle. Even her record company was taken by surprise and failed to get enough copies of the album into shops to capitalise on the resulting publicity. This year, notable albums by London Grammar and My Bloody Valentine failed to make the list, with the latter band complaining bitterly about their exclusion. In an interview with the Guardian, frontman Kevin Shields said their critically lauded release mbv had failed to meet eligibility criteria because the band had sold it exclusively through their own website. "Our album's not a real album because it's independent," he said.

"The corporateness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist." This year's nominees were whittled down from a long list of 220, submitted to the jury by their record labels. The 12-strong shortlist had been criticised for being too mainstream, with five number ones and seven former nominees among the competitors. Blake, whose album had only sold 27,000 copies before the ceremony, is likely to enjoy a significant boost. The Official Charts Company said Rudimental, Jake Bugg and Disclosure had already benefitted, selling more than 23,000 copies apiece since nominations were announced last month. Awards Awards Awards Awards Arctic Monkeys first album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”, released on 23 January 2006, was at the time the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. It winning both the 2006 Mercury Prize and the 2007 BRIT Awards for “Best British Album”.

The band’s second album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare”, was released on 23 April 2007, sold over 225,000 copies in its first week, and again was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize. The group also picked up the award for “Best British Album” and “Best British Group” at the 2008 BRIT Awards. At the 2006 NME Awards , Arctic Monkeys made history by becoming the first band to win both “Best New Band” and “Best British Band” in the same ceremomny. Concerning the Grammy Awards, the band were also nominated for two awards in 2007.

Overall, Arctic Monkeys have received 38 awards from 88 nominations, that we list below: List of awards and nominations received by Arctic Monkeys Award Arctic Monkeys - Best British Breakthrough Act Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Group Won Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Best British Album Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Group Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Act Nominated Favourite Worst Nightmare - Best British Album Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Group Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best British Group Won Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Best Alternative Music Album Nominated "Chun Li's Spinning Bird Kick" - Best Rock Instrumental Performance Nominated "Do I Wanna Know?" - Best Rock Performance Nominated Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Won Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Album of the Year Won Favourite Worst Nightmare - Album of the Year Nominated AM - Album of the Year Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best International Band Nominated Arctic Monnkeys - Best Live Performance Nominated Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Best International Album Won Suck It And See - Best Album Won Arctic

 Monkeys - Best World Stage Nominated Do I Wanna Know?

- Best Rock Video Nominated Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?

- Best Rock Video Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best New Act Won Arctic Monkeys - Best New Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Band Nominated Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Album of the Year Won "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" - Best Track Won Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Best Album Won Scummy Man - Best Music DVD Won Arctic Monkeys - Best British Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Band Nominated Favourite Worst Nightmare - Best Album Won "Teddy Picker" - Best Music Video Nominated Favourite Worst Nightmare - Best International Album Won "Arctic Monkeys at The Apollo" - Best Music DVD Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Giving It Back Fan Award Nominated Alex Turner - Hero of the Year Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Most Dedicated Fans Nominated Suck It And See - Best Album Nominated Suck It And See - Best Album Artwork Nominated "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" - Best Track Nominated "Suck It and See" - Best Video Nominated Alex Turner - Hero of the

 Year Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best British Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Band Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Fan Community Won "R U Mine?" - Best Track Won "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" - Best Music Video Nominated Alex Turner - Hero of the Year Won Alex Turner - Hero of the Year Won Arctic Monkeys - New Artist of the Year Won Arctic Monkeys - Artist of the Year Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Live AcT Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best New Act Nominated Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Album of the Year Won "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" - Best Track Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Act in the World Today Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Act Won Favourite Worst Nightmare - Album of the Year Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Act in the World Today Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Act Won Humbug - Album of the Year Nominated "R U Mine?" - Best Video Nominated "Do I Wanna Know?" - Best Track Won Arctic Monkeys - Best Live Act Nominated Arctic Monkeys - Best Act in the World Today Nominated List of awards and nominations received by Arctic Monkeys Arctic Monkeys

 Videos The 21-year-old newcomer has earned the distinction of being the first artist to be produced by Alex Turner.

Alex Turner is currently on tour in Europe with Miles Kane. When the band (TLSP) were on their US headlining toured recently June 20, 2016 “AM” Named Best Album of Decade by NME 2014 is done and we are officially half way through the decade. NME celebrated New Year’s Day by publishing their best albums of the decade so far. Arctic Monkeys took first place for the last decade (2010-2014) with its 2013 January 6, 2015 Noel Gallagher has a new album with his band the High Flying Birds out this week. Since no one talks about the album, he is keen to appear everywhere. During the past months he criticized a bunch of artists: There March 8, 2015 Watch Mini Mansions New Video For “Vertigo” Featuring Alex Turner Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner and Topless Women Star in Mini Mansions’ “Vertigo” Video. Mini Mansions, the L.A. band featuring Queens of the Stone Age’s Michael Shuman, released their new album “The Great Pretenders” on last Monday (23rd).

Shuman said of March 27, 2015 Matt Helders has recorded drums for the new Iggy Pop record, “Post Pop Depression” After the sad death of David Bowie earlier this month brought one of his most celebrated collaborations back into focus, Iggy Pop has set up another partnership, this time with Queens Of The Stone Age leader Josh Homme. Pop’s new January 27, 2016 Arctic Monkeys Performances on Late Show With David Letterman I must confess: I’m a huge Conan O’brien fan…but nobody beats the Late Show with David Letterman in terms of musical guests. The historical talk show came to an end after more than 30 years on air (the show will May 25, 2015 After the news of Arctic Monkeys have helped push UK vinyl sales past million mark for first time in two decades, this week according to new data from Spotify, in 2014 the most streamed artists in the UK are Ed December 4, 2014 The John Lewis Christmas advert has become an essential part of British Christmas culture, but what will the advert covering song be this year? And who will sing it?

With less than 24 hours to go until the advert airs November 3, 2016 The 21-year-old newcomer has earned the distinction of being the first artist to be produced by Alex Turner. Alex Turner is currently on tour in Europe with Miles Kane. When the band (TLSP) were on their US headlining toured recently June 20, 2016 The Last Shadow Puppets reveal new track “Aviation” The collaborative duo of Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner and Miles Kane release their third song “Aviation”, following the previously released album title track “Everything You’ve Come to Expect” and “Bad Habits.” The song will open the upcoming to be released March 25, 2016 Matt Helders has recorded drums for the new Iggy Pop record, “Post Pop Depression” After the sad death of David Bowie earlier this month brought one of his most celebrated collaborations back into focus, Iggy Pop has set up another partnership, this time with Queens Of The Stone Age leader Josh Homme.

Pop’s new January 27, 2016 Watch new music from Alex Turner’s The Last Shadow Puppets : “Bad Habits” While Alex Turner is taking some time off from the Arctic Monkeys, The Last Shadow Puppets have lifted the lid on a new video for their single “Bad Habits”. The track is taken from the group’s as-yet-unnamed sophomore album, slated January 13, 2016 One month has gone since the horrifying terrorist attacks in Paris, including a mass shooting at an Eagles Of Death Metal concert in the Bataclan Theatre. The rock band launched a campaign in an effort to raise funds for the December 23, 2015 Since the release of The Last Shadow Puppets’ debut album “The Age Of The Understatement” back in 2008, Alex Turner and Miles Kane have spent the years talking about their return but it never happen.

In 2009, Kane said the October 27, 2015 BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Mercury boost for singer Hawley Mercury boost for singer Hawley Coles Corner is Richard Hawley's fourth album Singers Richard Hawley and Lou Rhodes have seen the biggest surges in sales of all the acts featured on the Mercury Prize shortlist, figures show. Sheffield-based Hawley saw a 336% increase in sales of his album Coles Corner, according to retailer HMV. And Lou Rhodes' solo debut Beloved One sold 320% more. Arctic Monkeys were the winners of the prize with their album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, which had already broken sales records. During their acceptance speech, the band's Alex Turner joked: "Someone call 999 - Richard Hawley has been robbed." The Arctic Monkeys themselves saw their sales rise 66%, but they had already sold over a million copies of their album.

Downloading online In all, nine of the 12 albums on the shortlist saw clear sales increases, with the other three - Through the Windowpane by the Guillemots, Black Holes And Revelations by Muse and Eraser by Thom Yorke - released too recently for a comparison to be made. Rhodes was one half of 1990s musical duo Lamb However, with the exception of The Editors' The Back Room, these albums were beginning from a comparatively low sales base. HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo of HMV said the Mercury awards have a "halo effect" on sales. "This year we're expecting an even bigger sales lift, as more people are now also downloading and buying online," he added. Last year's winner, Antony and the Johnsons, enjoyed a six-fold increase of sales of their album I Am a Bird Now in the weeks following their win. In 2002 Miss Dynamite's A Little Deeper registered a 500 percent increase over a similar period.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Elbow elated at Mercury Prize win Elbow elated at Mercury Prize win Advertisement Nationwide Mercury Prize is announced Rock group Elbow have scooped the Nationwide Mercury Prize for the best British album of the past year. The award, for the band's fourth studio album The Seldom Seen Kid, comes 18 years after they formed and seven years after their first nomination. The Manchester fivesome beat 11 other contenders, including Radiohead, Adele and Burial, to the ï¿½20,000 prize. "This is quite literally the best thing that's ever happened to us," singer Guy Garvey told the ceremony in London. The band formed in 1990 but it took a decade for them to release their acclaimed debut album Asleep In The Back. It's beautiful, it's romantic, it's dark, it's gorgeous, it's just a really, really wonderful record Jude Rogers Girls Aloud win ï¿½20 single prize That was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2001, and the group have remained critical favourites ever since.

The Seldom Seen Kid reached number five in the UK album chart when it came out in March, their most successful release to date. The Mercury victory is likely to catapult it back up the chart and could see the band finally translate critical acclaim into commercial success. Musician Jools Hollands presented the group with their prize at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. "I know I'm supposed to be cool and say something coy, but it's literally the best thing that's ever happened to us," Garvey said. Garvey dedicated the award to the band's friend Bryan Glancy, who died in 2006. The singer called him "one of the greatest men who ever lived". NME magazine editor Conor McNicholas, one of the judges, said the album was "something that you fall in love with, and it feels like falling in love". "It's incredibly emotional, but it's not self indulgent at all," he said. "The album's that good that you will go back to it in years to come and there's some albums on the list that you couldn't say that about. "And Guy Garvey's a hero.

He's the drunken poet at the end of the bar, who just has this aura of cool, and they've had it for years." Neon Neon arrived wearing medallions made of Lego Rock critic Jude Rogers, another judge, added: "It's such a passionate record, it's from the heart, it's from the gut. "It's beautiful, it's romantic, it's dark, it's gorgeous, it's just a really, really wonderful record." Mysterious dubstep musician Burial, who only recently revealed his true identity, had been the bookmakers' favourite with his record Untrue. The artist - real name Will Bevan - did not attend the event. Chart favourites Adele and Estelle was also nominated, along with guitar group British Sea Power. The Last Shadow Puppets, the side project of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner and Miles Kane of The Rascals, opened the ceremony with a performance. Neon Neon, nominated for their record Stainless Style, brightened up the show by wearing medallions made of Lego. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, Laura Marling and The Portico Quartet were also nominated.

The shortlist of 12 albums of the year was chosen by a panel of musicians, producers, presenters and music journalists. The decision is based solely on the musical merit rather than sales success, organisers said. Albums made by British or Irish artists and released between July 2007 and July 2008 were eligible for this year's prize. Previous winners include Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Antony and the Johnsons and Dizzee Rascal. Mercury Music Prize 2013: Arctic Monkeys, Mercury still rising - Telegraph Mercury Music Prize 2013: Arctic Monkeys, Mercury still rising Arctic Monkeys have matured from their Mercury-winning days into a truly great band, says Bernadette McNulty. Boys to Men: Arctic Monkeys Follow When the Mercury nominations are announced on Wednesday, there is a good chance there may be a clutch of repeat offenders in the line-up for the album of the year . David Bowie shot to the top of the bookies favourites lists back in April when he released his 'surprise’ comeback The Next Day, 11 years on from when he was last on the award’s radar with his album Heathen.

Oxford indie band Foals and Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro may well follow up their 2010 nominations in the company of that year’s winner, London trio The xx. Laura Marling looks even more certain to be one of the twelve nominees for the third time with her Laurel Canyon-influenced Once I Was An Eagle. But tomorrow, with a Christine Ohuruogu-style late surge hurtle over the nominations deadline, Arctic Monkeys stand a chance of joining Marling with the release of their fifth album AM. Or in case of lead singer Alex Turner, succeeding her with a fourth recommendation, taking him in line with Radiohead as most nominated for the prize. If they went on to win it, they would be only the second act after PJ Harvey to enjoy the accolade twice after their debut won in 2006, bookending their career with those oddly shaped golden gongs. Mercury rising: Arctic Monkeys picking up the prize in 2006 That this brief, intense career can be measured more in statues than in smash hit singles reflects the almost terrifying velocity with which the Sheffield band were catapulted centre stage.

That mid-decade frenzy over the four teenage mop-haired internet sensations seemed a quaint reprisal of Sixties Beatlemania. But by the time they were hitting the headlines, the Liverpudlians had burnished their sound and image for years on brutal, fortitude-building touring circuits of Hamburg and their home city. By contrast, Arctic Monkeys seemed like whipper snappers, complete with a kind of teenage diffidence and a bunnies-in-the-headlights bewilderment when they awkwardly headlined Glastonbury in 2007. Related Articles Arctic Monkeys' AM makes chart history 16 Sep 2013 Back then they used their speed and lightness, their trademark slashing guitar rhythms and the flick-knife cleverness of Turner’s observational lyrics to try and run rings around the gawping, curious crowds. But at their centre you felt a fear, a terror at the end of the song that there was something more that an audience wanted, a kind of showmanship or performance beyond the words and sounds that the band fumbled away from like the drunken romantic encounters in their songs.

Squaring up to the limelight: Alex Turner on stage at Glasonbury 2013 Everything about their return to Glastonbury this year, rehearsed in their surprisingly majestic appearance at the Olympic opening ceremony last year, suggested the snarky boys have become confident, even seductive men. Turner’s mock-American accent on the Pyramid stage may still have had a nervous lemon-drop sourness to it, but there was a desire, if not a pleasure for once in looking outside their tight-knit, protective unit and squaring up to the world outside, of sharing inner desires instead of outsiders observations, of letting the influences they have devoured in their public apprenticeship, from Roy Orbison to Black Sabbath, coalesce with their teenage love of Dr Dre hip hop beats and of course, the Beatles. AM more than bears out this new maturity, a slow, sinuous beast of sinister RnB rhythms, soul falsetto singing and Seventies sludge rock. Aptly, their most stately, polished and loose album yet has also been their slowest to produce. Whether the Mercury’s pick them out as golden boys for the third time seems irrelevant: Arctic Monkeys don’t need awards to speak for their talent anymore.

Arctic Monkeys play the iTunes festival at London’s Roundhouse and release AM on Domino Records. For further live dates see arcticmonkeys.com Mercury music prize picks dark horses and rising stars | Music | The Guardian Close This article is 8 years old It is the music prize that purports to reward quality over quantity. This year the Nationwide Mercury prize judges aimed to prove it by overlooking huge sellers from Duffy and Coldplay in favour of an eclectic mix of homegrown talent they said confirmed the enduring strength of the album in the digital age. Duffy, who has recorded the biggest selling single and album so far this year, saw her debut Rockferry passed over while Brit school graduate Adele, singer and rapper Estelle and Laura Marling, a feted 18- year-old singer-songwriter from Reading, all made the list of 12 nominations. Coldplay , whose Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends has topped the charts in 36 countries, did not make the list. But Elbow and British Sea Power, two indie guitar bands who have sold less well but whose most recent albums were rapturously received by critics, did.

More familiar names that made the list included Robert Plant, the former Led Zeppelin singer nominated for his collaboration with Alison Krauss, and Radiohead, who have been nominated several times but have never won, for In Rainbows. The Radiohead release, which garnered acres of column inches for its mould-breaking "pay what you like" download release, was immediately installed as the favourite by bookmakers - not necessarily a good sign if previous years are any guide. Alex Turner, the 22-year-old Arctic Monkeys frontman, was nominated for an unprecedented third year in a row. His band won in 2006 for their debut album. This year, his number one album with side project the Last Shadow Puppets was hailed by judges for its "dramatic vignettes of modern love". The prize often comes under fire for picking a winner that is either obtuse or too obvious, but never fails to spark debate. Those nominated, particularly the smaller acts, tend to benefit from a boost in sales and exposure.

For winners such as the Klaxons last year, Antony and the Johnsons in 2005 and Dizzee Rascal in 2003 the Mercury prize has been credited with bringing niche tastes to a wider audience. They tend to sell consistently for years to come. "Mercury nominations carry considerable cachet. In a fractured media age, when standing out from the crowd is difficult, a nomination can help a great record attract enough attention to become a modern classic, rather than a buried treasure," said BPI chairman Tony Wadsworth. One act who could benefit are Portico Quartet. They were discovered by jazz club and label Vertigo after regularly busking, and are credited with bringing modern jazz to a younger audience. Among the other dark horses this year are Burial, an anonymous dubstep artist whose fragments of other worldly beats were described by the judges as "restless, alarming and alluring", and Neon Neon, a concept album based on the life of car mogul John DeLorean put together by Super Furry Animals singer Gruff Rhys.

Simon Frith, chair of the judges, said yesterday that the strength and depth of British music was demonstrated by the fact they could have easily added a further dozen artists to the list. It confirmed that the album had continued to thrive, he said, despite widespread predictions that download culture would kill it off. Frith said the winner, announced on September 9, had to have "the aural equivalent of personality" and "define the time". He added: "It's a slightly mystical thing. Usually there are some albums on the list that you know will be among the contenders, but it's much harder to tell this year. No one style has been dominant." Shortlist British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music?

Burial Untrue Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid Estelle Shine Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim Neon Neon Stainless Style Portico Quartet Knee-Deep in the North Sea Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns Radiohead In Rainbows Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand The Last Shadow Puppets The Age of the Understatement Radiohead and Robert Plant announced as Mercury Prize nominees - Telegraph Radiohead and Robert Plant announced as Mercury Prize nominees Robert Plant, the Led Zeppelin frontman, will take on Radiohead for this year's Nationwide Mercury Music Prize. Radiohead has been nominated for In Rainbows, while Robert Plant earned a nomination for his colaboration with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand Photo: EPA/AP By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor 1:13PM BST 22 Jul 2008 Plant and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss are nominated for Raising Sand, the album on which they collaborated last year. Music critic Neil McCormick gives his verdict on the Mercury shortlist It marked a change of direction for Plant and was described by The Daily Telegraph as "a haunted, trembling, otherworldly collection of country-flavoured darkness".

Radiohead earned their nomination for In Rainbows, which made history last year when fans were invited to download it for a price of their choosing. Also on the shortlist is Alex Turner, the Arctic Monkeys singer, nominated for the third time in as many years - this time with his side project, The Last Shadow Puppets, and their album The Age of Understatement. Related Articles Mercury prize 2008: Mercury falling 22 Jul 2008 Turner won the prize with the Arctic Monkeys in 2006, and their follow-up made the shortlist in 2007. There are 12 albums on the Mercury Prize shortlist, awarded annually for the best album by a British or Irish artist. Young, female singer-songwriters feature heavily in this year's line-up. Estelle, who has been on the music scene for a decade but is only now finding mainstream fame, and Adele, a Brits School alumnus, are nominated, alongside folk singer Rachel Unthank and teenager Laura Marling. Aged 18, Marling is one of the youngest artists ever to be nominated for the prize.

A singer-songwriter in the Lily Allen mould, she began writing material at 15 and uploaded songs onto her MySpace site. She swiftly came to the attention of record bosses, who signed her up at 16. The teenager was once refused entry to one of her own gigs for being too young, and ended up busking outside. The other acts on the shortlist are Elbow, Burial, British Sea Power, Neon Neon and Portico Quartet. The winner of the £20,000 prize will be announced in September. Nationwide Mercury Prize 2008 Albums of the Year :: Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid :: Radiohead - In Rainbows :: British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? :: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand :: Burial - Untrue Whatever people say, Arctic Monkeys are Mercury winners | The Independent Whatever people say, Arctic Monkeys are Mercury winners Tuesday 5 September 2006 23:52 BST Click to follow The Independent Culture They produced the fastest-selling debut in British pop history, stormed the Brits and NME Awards and last night confirmed their status as the bookies' favourite to take the prestigious Nationwide Mercury Prize.

In a move calculated to silence critics who have condemned the prize for failing to honour true British music successes, the Arctic Monkeys scooped the £20,000 cheque from a strong list of rivals including Thom Yorke, the Radiohead frontman, with his solo album debut, and Devon rock band Muse. Accepting the prize at a ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London last night, Alex Turner, the lead vocalist, paid tribute to another Sheffield act, Richard Hawley, a 39-year-old singer-songwriter who had been also hotly favoured by critics. "Somebody call 999. Richard Hawley has been robbed," he said. Turner thanked everyone who had helped, before observing with characteristic cheek: "Normally it [the prize] doesn't go to a band that's sold as many records as we have. But we're still very pleased with it. It's good tunes really, that's what we tried to do and no tricks really, because there's too many people trying to do too many tricks." The Arctic Monkeys were the sensation of the pop year when fans generated enormous interest in their music through the internet even before they hit the record stores.

Their first two singles, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", last October, followed by "When the Sun Goes Down", both went straight to number one and their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, sold more copies in its first week than any debut in UK history. Quickly capitalising on the interest while taking an ironic swipe at the hype now attending them, they followed up the album with a five-track EP entitled Who the Fuck are Arctic Monkeys. However, the success has already taken its toll on original bass guitarist Andy Nicholson. Soon after the EP's release, the other members - Turner, Jamie Cook and Matt Helders - announced Nicholson would not take part in its North American tour because of "fatigue". They subsequently confirmed he had left the band. The Arctic Monkeys have resolutely refused to play the conventional public relations game. They did not attend the Brit awards and refused to speak at the NME awards. Although other Mercury nominees, including Thom Yorke, Guillemots and Scritti Politti, performed last night, the Arctic Monkeys did not. Their utter faith in their work was epitomised in Alex Turner's brief explanation of why they thought they had won.

"Because we had the best record," he said after last night's ceremony. And during a press conference following their win, they complained about the questions they were being asked. Their decision to attend may have been because the Mercury is acknowledged as being independent of industry politics, designed simply to recognise what the judges - who include critics and musicians - decide is the best album of the year. However, as they have already sold around 1 million copies of the album they are unlikely to see the uplift in sales enjoyed by some previous winners. Last year's winner, Antony and the Johnsons enjoyed a six-fold increase in sales of the album I Am a Bird Now in the weeks after winning. The biggest beneficiary from the pre-ceremony publicity this year was Richard Hawley, whose album Coles Corner was released a year ago but registered a three-fold increase in sales after it was nominated on 18 July, according to HMV record stores. Gennaro Castaldo of HMV said the awards had clearly developed into a major showcase for British and Irish music and introduced more esoteric albums to a mainstream audience.

"Nominated artists stand to gain significantly from the halo effect of being in the Mercury's spotlight, which will not only boost sales of their albums but act as a catalyst to further their careers. This year we're expecting an even bigger sales lift, as more people arenow also downloading and buying online."

Question: Alex Turner is the leader of which British group, winner of the 2006 Mercury Prize?
Answer: ARCTIC MONKEYS